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Shadow Court
Turel is attended by five aged and powerful demons, another abomination, and a demonic construct, each with specific abilities. Zhirad (The Alchemist, Envy Demon): Originally a doctor in the Hefrizian Principalities, Zhirad desired entrance into the ranks of the Royal Surgeons above all other things. Unfortunately, while he was undeniably talented his common birth drew the derision of his peers and the scorn of his potential patrons. Incensed by their dismissal, Zhirad dove into the practice of darker, more esoteric medical knowledge. However, when even his expanding expertise failed to gain the attention of those he wished to emulate, Zhirad snapped. Coming to the conclusion that the only way to gain the position he desired was via new discoveries, Zhirad began abducting vagrants from the streets to conduxt grisly medical experiments on them. While the first few mutilated corpses drew no attention, the tenth brought down the scrutiny of the Hefrizian mercenary companies, who managed to track Zhirad down after six more deaths. Aware of the coming retribution but unwilling to abandon his quest, Zhirad killed himself by attempting to conduct a living autopsy, recording his increasingly demented observations on a magical crystal. Ironically, when this was found it advanced medical research several years, but Zhirad's soul had already passed into the demon realms. An accomplished doctor, the Alchemist is also a deadly combatant with a pair of long, surgical knives. In the mortal world he poses as Turel's personal physician. Secondary Character Advantages: *'Doctor III 3 - 'Low Utility *'Knife Fighting III 3 - 'Close Combat *'Perception I 2 '- Mid Utility *'Regeneration I 4 '- All Combat, Low Utility ' Annah (The Candleman, Wrath Demon):' Annah's mortal life was spent as a vagrant on the streets of Bastion, one of hundreds of match girls desperate to escape their lives of hardship. Unfortunately, during one particularly harsh winter Annah was shown no pity for weeks on end, until, dying of hypothermia, she went mad. Staggering into a crowded inn, she began flinging lit matches among the rushes, the alcohol soaked bar, even peoples' clothing. She died laughing, both because of the warmth and the revenge she achieved on those who'd ignored her for years. Despite her ascent to demonhood, Annah remains relatively childish, her true nature only rising when she is gravely stymied or she feels as though she is being ignored. During her time in Turel's service, Annah saw extensive use in the War of Three Chimeras, where the unique nature of her killing sprees earned her the nickname "The Candleman." In the mortal world, she poses as Turel's ward. Secondary Character Advantages: *'Fire Magic II 8 '- All Combat, Low Utility *'Strength I 2 '- Close Combat, Low Utility *'Charm I 2 '- Mid Social ' ' Keller (The Laughing Man, Envy Demon): Keller was a Bastion native who traveled to Wraen as a boy to learn the art of the sword. Working for years, he studied the arts of the bravos, until at the age of twenty-five he was the third-best swordsman in Invis. However, that wasn't enough for Keller. His inability to surpass the two greater swordsmen ate at him, pushing him to train harder and harder until he was roundly humiliated in an exhausted bout with an inferior warrior. Pushed to the breaking point, Keller began exploring new ways to increase his combat capabilities, and struck on the assassin's arts. Travelling into the Mistmarsh, he studied the poisons and plagues of that foul place until he returned four months later. Poisoning his blade, he was quickly defeated in a pair of duels against the city's masters, but he managed to wound both. Unbeknownst to him though, he had scratched himself, and so within a day all three swordsmen were on the brink of death. Keller unrepentantly clung to life until he heard of the deaths of the other two, whereupon he died laughing maniacally at being the best in Invis, if only for scant minutes. The Laughing Man is a deadly opponent with great knowledge of poisons, and he and the Alchemist often collaborate to deadly effect. In the mortal world, he poses as Turel's bodyguard. ' Siras (The Aetheric Languor, Sloth Demon):' In life, Siras was the princess of one of the southern Slave Kingdoms, feeding off the suffering of thousands to feed her own indolence. During one of the rare but bloody slave rebellions, she was so unused to labor that she allowed herself to be clubbed to death rather than putting up a fight, sentencing her to the damnation of Sloth. However, in her last painful moments a sliver of regret allowed Siras to keep her mind intact as it was consumed by her sin, leaving her one of the few conscious Sloth Demons in existence. Perplexed by her new existence, she drifted the etheric currents for decades, eventually gaining a unique understanding of the flow and energies of the spirit world. This makes her an incredibly powerful catalyst for teleportation. In the mortal world, she poses as Annah's governess.